Mail-box.



J. PETRI.

MAIL BOX.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 1, 1914.

1,1 1 1 ,03 1 Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

Fig. 1.

THE NORRIS FETERS CO.. PHO'lU-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D, C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN PETBI, OFELBERTA, ALABAMA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

MAIL-BOX.

Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

Application filed. May 1, 1914. .Serial No. 835,648.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mail boxes.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of a mail box adapted for the reception of letters and other mail matter and having an operative closure preventing any access to the box contents while the entrance slot is open.

A further object is the provision of cooperating tilting plates interiorly of a mail container and adapted for closing access to the holding chamber of the box during all times that mail matter is capable of being deposited within the box casing.

A still further object is to provide shifting plates'actuated by a lid for the entrance slot and whereby a mail supporting platform is provided when the slot is opened and converging slides provided upon closing the slot.

lVith these general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views :-Figure 1 is a front elevation of a mail box provided with the present invention illustrated partially in section upon the line II of F1g. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken upon line 11-11 of Fig. 1, showing the box closed, and Fig. 3 is a similar view with the box elements in their open positions.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the casing 10 forming the mail box is provided with an exit door 11 for the mail deposited in the lower collecting chamber 12 of the box. The casing is provided with a forwardly sloping top 13 terminating in a shoulder 14 forming the upper side of a mail entrance slot 15 in the forward side 16, of the box casing. A closure or lid 17 having a finger hold or handle 18 is pivoted adjacent the lower edge 19 of the slot by means of a trunnion rod 20 extending therethrough and having its opposite ends 21 journaled in the end walls of the casing. An inwardly extending plate 22 angularly projects from the closure 17, being integral therewith, and is provided adjacent each end thereof upon its inner upper face with a. lug 23 having one end of a link 24 pivoted thereto. Lugs 25 are carried inwardly of the rear wall of the casing and adjacent each end wall thereof and have pivotally mounted therebetween a guide plate 26. Lugs 27adjacent the opposite ends of said guide plate have links 28 pivoted thereto, which links 28 are provided with pins 29 adjacent their free ends and slidably mounted within longitudinal slots 30 in the free end portions of the links 24.

With this form of constuction, a downward tilting of the closure 17 from the closed position illustrated in Fig. 2 to the open position shown in Fig. 3 results in opening the entrance slot 15 for the admission of mail matter which will then rest upon the hori- Zontal plates 22 and 26, while upon again closing the member 17 such mail matter is precipitated into the containing chamber 12 by the tilting of the two plates. The plates being trunnioned adjacent the opposite walls of the receptacle and hinged together by means of the connecting links 24 and 28, it is evident that the weight of the said plates normally retains the closure 17 fitting within the slot 15 and with its upper edge engaging the shoulder 14. It will also be seen when the closure 17 is open the plates 22 and 26 being substantially horizontal, it is im possible for a person to remove or have any access whatever with the mail in the lower deposit chamber 12 and that such chamber is only opened for free access from above when the closure 17 is closed. The pivotal link connection between the platesallows asimultaneous moving of said plates to horizontal parallel positions when the closure 17 is opened. Oppositely positioned stops 31 are secured to the rear wall of the casing and are provided with inclined front faces 32 adapted for contacting with the lower surface of the guide plate 26 when the same is tilted with the closure in its closed position.

A serviceable mail receptacle is thus provided that is easy and inexpensive to manufacture and one that prevents any unauthorized access to the mail matter deposited therein.

While the forms of the invention herein shown and described are what are believed to be preferable embodiments thereof,.it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made in the form, proportion and details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claim.-

' What I claim as new is A mail box comprising a casing having an entrance slot in the front wall thereof, a closure lid for said slot trunnioned in the casing adjacent the lower edge of said slot, a rearwardly projecting plate integral with said lid and positioned within said casing,

a guide plate pivoted to'the rear wall of the casing and adapted to underlap said rear- .wardly projecting plate in spaced parallel copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

